Synopsis

Kiriko has always been overshadowed by her older sister Eiko. Eiko is cute, smart, and extremely popular unlike Kiriko. This manga is about Kiriko leaving her sister's shadow. Although this sounds like a typical manga, the manga-ka enjoys switching to different manga styles to show extreme expressions and actions of the characters. Seishunchuu is a very cute and funny manga!

So, I picked out this manga on a whim not really expecting much out of it. I figured it'd be your usual romance manga; super-cute shoujo girl meets a guy that automatically falls for her and they date, meeting troubles along the way.

Boy, was I wrong.

This manga is truly a diamond in the rough. It's one of those unique manga where the main female lead is actually someone you can RELATE to with REAL flaws. She's not uber-cute and she doesn't have guys fawning all over her.

The story pretty much follows Kiriko as she goes through her school-life trying to get out of
her perfect elder sisters shadow and blossom into her own woman.

Her elder-sister is your typical air-headed and clumsy, dumb (but well-intentioned) blond that gets the guys. Kiriko, on the other hand, is someone you can relate to off the bat. She's just your average girl that experiences the same kind of hardships any other teenage girl would face; unrequited love, trying to fit in, dealing with insecurity and raging hormones, and trying to find their own place in the world. We follow her as she slowly learns to be her own woman and steps out of her sisters shadow.

The story is hilarious and yet touching as well. It's very realistic, and as such, it's categorized as "mature" so it's not really for the feint of heart. Still, it's truly a must-read.